Weight Loss Research: Low chance of obese people recovering normal body weight ♦ Eating habits most important in weight gain in children ♦ Exercising 300 minutes a week better for reducing total fat in postmenopausal women

Low chance of obese people recovering normal body weight The chance of an obese person attaining normal body weight is 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women, increasing to 1 in 1,290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with severe obesity, according to a new study. The findings suggest that current weight management programs focused on dieting and exercise are not effective in tackling obesity at population level.

Exercising 300 minutes per week better for reducing total fat in postmenopausal women Postmenopausal women who exercised 300 minutes per week were better at reducing total fat and other adiposity measures, especially obese women, during a one-year clinical trial, a noteworthy finding because body fat has been associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.

Taxing the dose of calories in sugary drinks could help reduce obesity A tax on sugary drinks that depends on the number of calories or amount of sugar per liter could help fight obesity, suggests new research. While a few countries are already trialing a tax on sugary drinks, taxing the dose would encourage drinks companies to offer low-calorie alternatives Worldwide, an estimated 1.9 billion adults are overweight, and of these 600 million are obese. Obesity increases the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes; in the US alone, obesity-related healthcare costs around $200 billion a year.

Eating habits most important in weight gain in children Some children gain weight faster than others. What make some children gain weight faster than others? Eating habits seem to have far more to say than physical activity.